Upcoming Opportunities to Explore the World through PVCC
Recently, the language department at PVCC has announced some exciting international travel opportunities. All students have the opportunity to travel across Spain and France in 2024.
The Spain trip will begin in Barcelona, which is known for its Eixample district, distinguished by its gothic Catalan art-nouveau architecture, according to Barcelona Turisme. Starting off with a Barcelona city walk, students will get to experience the city like a local and see some cultural landmarks. Travelers will get to see Mercat de la Boquería, Las Ramblas, and the Columbus Monument, as well as eat traditional Spanish Paella for dinner. Next, a guided tour gives students an inside look into the history of Barcelona. Students will have the chance to see Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, Montjuïc Hill, and Park Güell.
Then travel by train to Madrid, where students will have the opportunity to experience the Calle Mayor, Gran Vía, Cibeles Fountain, Puerta de Alcalá, Columbus Square, and the Royal Palace. Madrid is known for its multiculturalism mixed with traditional Spain, according to Spain’s Official Tourism Site. The trip wraps up with Seville, including the sights and culture of this city, an evening of Flamenco dancing, and a tour of Costa del Sol and Alhambra. This description does not even include all the extra optional opportunities for cultural immersion.
Professor of Spanish Jorge Grajales-Diaz said, “I cannot emphasize enough the benefits it offers. Students have the opportunity to explore, through firsthand experiences, various aspects of Spanish Culture: art, geography, history, cuisine, language, etc.”
The Spain trip is planned for May 14-23, 2024, and the deadline to apply is Dec. 26, 2023. Scholarships are also available through the PVCC Educational Foundation. For more information, contact Grajales-Diaz at jgrajalesdiaz@pvcc.edu.
Students can travel to France this Summer to not only experience another culture but continue their education. Those who attend will learn about changing corporate sustainability policies at the Université de Montpellier. Travelers can tackle sustainable engineering at Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (ESTIA) on the beaches of Bidart. Participants will “Go Green” at UPPA (Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour) across the Aquitaine-Euskadi region. Students can study culture and the environment at Université de Lille and dig deeper into the French Caribbean at Universtié des Antilles.
Assistant Professor of French Kris Swanson said, “Community college students represent 40% of all undergraduate students in the US, but only 2% of those students who study abroad are from a community college… These Bootcamps provide an opportunity for our students to learn about others… and themselves… while having a meaningful academic and cultural experience in France.”
The deadline to apply for the France bootcamps is Dec 22, 2023, and there are bootcamps slated for many different dates. For more information, contact Swanson at kswanson@pvcc.edu.
